Some updates

I'm feeling funny today, seems to be another impending flu coming up. My back's feeling sore and I feel drugged.

Meanwhile I am co-facilitating my final workshop here in my current workplace with my colleague WS who has been fantastic to work with. I feel like there is a big brother watching me which is a nice feeling of being nurtured. He's good at what he does (i.e. conducting workshops) which is something I will like to learn.

Just to update since I have been so-totally busy these days, I have tendered my resignation last Monday and following that been trying to tell everyone informally about my departure before the big boss does that formal announcement and shocks the entire department. Well I may be overreacting but I think it is more personal to hear it from me rather than through some formal channel. "Why didn't you tell me" those people who get to know of it through the official grapevine might feel.

Meanwhile my resignation letter's been officially accepted and suddenly all the service departments in RP started sending me emails demanding me to return loaned items like some ah-long. Oh well, we've just got to do it I guess.

FD has so kindly helped me get a Macbook which should be coming next week. Boy is that exciting!

I just got my posting from JET programme on Sunday and I am heading to Ibaraki Prefecture, north of Tokyo. Seems like I will be teaching in senior high schools as a Prefecture ALT from what I have gathered from the more educated guesses in forums which sounds exciting.

I have yet to announce to my kids about my departure which I guess would be a hard pill to swallow for everyone. I guess goodbyes are difficult to say.

I hope I won't screw up the workshop later as I've not attended it before nor have I really read deeper into the topic. Oh well it is just... work?

There's a 2-weeks holidays in the coming June which sounds like a comfortable break and opportunity to count down towards my departure. I feel exonerated, which does not sound like a positive way to leave an organisation.

Kitto umakuyatte ikeru.

Ibaraki Prefecture!

http://ibarakijets.org/

http://www.mapion.co.jp/map/admi08.html

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

14/07 (Mon) 1000-1230pm

= Orientation @ Embassy of Japan
= Aplication of Japanese Visa

30/07 (Wed) 7-9pm
= Farewell Reception @ Ambassador's Residence
= Handover of Air-ticket to Japan

03/08 (Sun)
= Arrival in Tokyo (Narita Airport)

WT's wedding

Scream!

YAY I AM GOING TO JAPAN FINALLY GOODNESS IT'S BEEN AGES THAT WAS SUCH A LONG WAIT I CANNOT TAKE IT ANY LONGER!!!

Back to grading.

Things are picking up speed

It has been the same for the past few weeks, a ritualistic, rigorous cycle of classes, grading, meetings and increasing excitement to hear about the placement results.

Yes the placement results are not in yet and they are coming any moment. Come on! Show it to me!

Following up to that will be my resignation. I have been fervently waiting for the placement results to be in before I finally resign myself to my impending fate in Japan, though that was not to be with each passing day of lack of news. On Friday, I could not take it any more and went to work seeking advice from my colleagues. Immediately all of them were asking me to get the motion going - what is there to gain from waiting? I am already committed to going as I see it as an opportunity of a lifetime and they are not going to suddenly retract the offer. Neither do I have much to gain nor lose by setting things into motion. Which is quite true and the rational side of me has been saying that. I pushed myself to chat with my reporting officer and finally spoke to my director.

I shall wait until Tuesday to find out if they would keep me in July - otherwise, it will be my call on when I will leave.

Just 2 weeks back I spoke to my Japanese teachers in my current class about being accepted for JET. This week the other teachers who have taught me before came up and asked me about it. Oh gosh. Incidentally, next week is the last lesson for this term and in the new term of 10 lessons, the final tenth lesson shall be the one that lies smack on my departure weekend. It would be bittersweet to attend that one, if possible.

Is it too early to be moving on with life? While I continue to struggle with that question, deep inside me I know I cannot afford to wait any longer. Deep inside me there is a voice that says that life is short, and everything else ultimately is inconsequential. That is not in an irresponsible sense, but a sense of finality.

Looking forward to WT's solemnisation lunch next Sunday, and that brings me one step closer.

Kitto umakuyatte ikeru.